“I’ve had people tell me it’s the only thing that makes them feel better. It actually does have a physical effect,” she said.

That’s likely due to a secret ingredient: a small dose of pectin, which is found in cough drops, Bauer said. “It coats your throat. It’s just what some people need,” she said.

The new treat comes after the state last week declared a health emergency, noting that the number of flu cases had more than quadrupled — from 4,404 to 19,128 — in the past year.

“It’s cute but I’d like to see the science behind it,” said Doris Bucher, who helped develop this year’s flu vaccine with a team of scientists at New York Medical College. She added, “It might spice you up or knock you out — but it’s no vaccine,” she said.

Orders have spiked dramatically in the past two weeks, she said.

“It’s not a miracle. It’s an at-home remedy — like chicken soup,” she said.